Costs

The program fee is $2,970 which includes:

✔️ Roundtrip international airfare to Mexico from the U.S.
✔️ Visa (if required)
✔️ In-country airport pick-up and drop-off with your group
✔️ Housing
✔️ WiFi
✔️ Three at-home meals/day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
✔️ Pre-departure + in-country training
✔️ Local support
✔️ 24/7 emergency assist line from ILP headquarters
✔️ International SOS membership
✔️ Hands-on education
✔️ Meaningful service opps

Additional items (like your passport and domestic travel to and from the U.S. group departure airport) and in-country costs (like vacations, shopping, and activities) are not included. See a more detailed list here. It depends on your personal spending habits, but most volunteers recommend budgeting around $1,500-3,500 for the semester to make the most of your time in Mexico.

We have custom monthly payment plans to help you make it work. That can be especially helpful if you’re saving up little by little, by working or doing fundraising.

An ILP Exchange Trip

This type of trip means that the kids you are working with pay a fee to attend our English classes. That fee is used to help subsidize your program fee, which is why we’re able to offer this experience to you at such an affordable price.

Your students typically come from middle to upper-class families who are looking to provide their children with the best education and every opportunity in life. Learning English from a native speaker can put the kids at such an advantage later in life.

Is Mexico right for me?

Each location is unique and therefore has its pros and cons. What falls into those two categories will really depend on the person you talk to, but we’ve put together common complaints we hear most about volunteering here. Knowing the typical pain points that just come along with the experience will help as you consider which country is best for you.

It’s hard to come up with lowlights for Mexico: it’s frequently the overall ILP experience that alumni have the highest happiness and satisfaction with.

• Mexico is a good spot for those looking for a relaxed culture, where things don’t happen on time and need many reminders.
• Your teaching schedule will likely change frequently.
• Provided meals are made up of basic staples like tortillas, cheese, beans, and rice all on rotation.
• This is an Exchange Program which means your students come from more affluent families (typically middle to upper class) as compared to the Humanitarian Programs.

About Your Group

This program has about 4-10 volunteers in a group, which creates some of our smallest group sizes!

Our Mexico program is the best fit for:

• Single females, males, and married couples
• 18-about 25ish years old
• Volunteers from the U.S. and Canada
• No experience needed!

About Your City

Forget about what you think a semester in Mexico is all about, and get ready for adventures on adventures in this country. Volunteers are living in Central Mexico, away from the crowded cruise port beaches, but right in the center of what we think is the best part of the country.

You’re living in some of the most colorful and vibrant cities in Mexico, with so much to see and do nearby. This country is a standout if you want to pack in as much traveling as you can — weekend trips to a dozen different cities, waterfalls, and hot springs are just a bus ride away. Having so much to do close to home means you can save your vacation time for trips out to the coast.

It’s easy to stay in touch with the local culture here. ILP groups will be living in local neighborhoods, close to the schools they are teaching at, and in close contact with locals who help out with the ILP program here. You may be invited to a local soccer game, over to get ice cream at the store owned by the parents of one of your students, or get the know the staff at your favorite panadería.

There are several ILP groups in Mexico  — you might find yourself living in smaller communities or larger cities, all found in the central region of the country. Every ILP location in Mexico is just a quick bus ride away from favorite vacation spots, like colorful magic towns, Spanish-influenced cities, and hot springs in the mountains.

Glimpse A Day In Mexico

Wake up to your ILP group getting ready for the day. Your whole group lives in a house or an apartment (found in a local neighborhood) so it’s like one big sleepover every night.

Groups here are small, about 4-8 volunteers who all live, teach, and travel together. It makes for a tight-knit group experience that’s for sure. Breakfast is yogurt and cereal today (you get a stipend and shop at local markets or may have groceries provided), but don’t worry, you’ll also have some local food, too! All three meals will be provided to you whether that’s by a stipend or by a cook.  Plan on a mix of local dishes and meals you cook yourself during your semester.

Your ILP semester is focused on experiencing the culture and the food is definitely a part of that. When you have authentic Mexican food cooked for you for lunch (and maybe dinner), plan on things like tacos, sopas, thick tortillas, soups filled with potatoes and corn, plates of rice, and spicy sauces.

Volunteers also love trying out their favorite dishes around their city. Finding the best churro stand, taco place, and elote cart is something you have to do before coming home!

After cleaning up breakfast, it’s time for teaching. Depending on your schedule you may teach in the morning, have lunch, and head back home. Or you may be teaching classes as a part of an after-school program, and have classes later in the afternoon/evening. You’ll most likely be walking to your classes, so pack up comfortable shoes to wear for all the walking you’ll do during your semester.

Since teaching is only part-time, you have quite a bit of free time … maybe more than you anticipated. Especially in Mexico, all that free time is a huge asset. It’s easy to pick up the language if you work on your Spanish (which is one of the definite highlights of this country). You’ll be so proud of yourself after ordering a meal or being able to make new local friends when you’re out exploring your city.

Another huge perk is the affordability and all the travel opportunities here. You’re welcome to explore places in Central America (like Costa Rica, Nicaragua, or even Peru) but there is so much to be seen in Mexico and at such a low cost. From where you’re living, there are a dozen cities and sites to visit, for just a few dollars.

On the weekends, explore a set of turquoise hot springs in a jungly canyon or wake up early for a sunrise hot air balloon festival. Next, head to what may be the most colorful city in all of Mexico. And of course, you can’t forget the beaches! Skip the spots crowded by tourists to vacation on sandy shores that you have all to yourself.